THE COST OF A CRUISE - NICKEL AND DIME INCIDENTALS

When it comes to cruises, so much is included in the cost that few people
give much thought to the incidentals paid for once onboard.  In fact, the
cost to take a cruise is lower today than at any other time.  The problem is
that while the initial cost seems so reasonable, once on the ship, money
goes fast.  What we see are people planning for a cruise, saving money to
meet the price given by the travel agent.  However, when passengers get
onboard, they soon discover that many things they want to do or buy are
not included in the price and are considerably high.

Keep in mind that paying money for alcoholic beverages, soft drinks,
excursions, and tips have always been extra but the nickel and dime
incidentals onboard a cruise ship go well beyond that.  For example,
while a nice restaurant might have a corkage fee for wine or champagne of
$1.50 to $2.00, you might find the price onboard a cruise ship of $5.00.
To make matters worse, some cruise lines have a common practice of
pushing passengers to buy things that they might not otherwise want to
buy.

Some of the larger, more reputable cruise lines justify the high cost of
incidentals claiming that the cost of taking a cruise has not gone up
over the past several years but in fact, has gone down.  However, the cost
for the cruise line to operate the cruise has gone up.  Therefore, to
continue offering passengers amazing cruise ship prices, they have to
make the money up somewhere, which is through the nickel and dime
expenses.  Another issue is that many of the new cruise ships are quite
fancy, meaning they are more expensive to build and designed with more
elaborate activities and greater amenities.

Just remember that although you will be expected to pay for many of the
extras onboard a cruise ship, considering the beautiful
accommodations, mounds of food, wonderful ports of call, abundance of
activities and entertainment, cruises are still an excellent value.
Most cruises will cost around $1,000 per person and in return, you do get
your moneyís worth.  It is important to remember that the cost of living
and inflation have not increased the cost of a cruise.  Therefore, even
when you add in the money you will need for seeing a show, enjoying a glass
of wine, or getting a massage, it is still a great value.

As an example, consider that in 1983, a seven-night cruise for a
mid-ship, outside cabin would cost passengers around $2,000.  Then in
2002, 19 years later, a seven-night cruise with an ocean view cabin was
down to just $700, more than a 50% reduction.  Another comparison would
be a seven-night cruise with a mid-ship ocean view cabin running
$1,900, again in 1983, and then again in 2002, the cost of a seven-night
cruise with an ocean view cruise just $650 and a luxury suite being just
$850.  As you can see, the cost of a cruise has gone down substantially.
Therefore, while you could pay several hundred dollars for the extras,
you still come out ahead of what passengers paid 19 years ago!

Now, if you were to add in the increase in cost of living and standard
inflation, the cost for taking the same 1983 cruise should cost you
$3,000 to $3,500 today.  However, many of the top cruise lines are just
one-fourth the cost for a newer ship with better cabins, activities,
and amenities.  While is does seem like passengers are being nickel and
dime to death, in truth they are still coming out way ahead of the game.

The thing is that many of the options available on cruise ships today
were unheard of 19 years ago.  While a cruise shipís food has always been
incredible, today it is literally over the top!  Therefore, when you
plan to take a cruise, expect to pocket $400 or $500 for buying drinks,
enjoying excursions, buying gifts, gambling, and other extras,
realizing that no other vacation option gives you so much for so little.
The bottom line is that cruises are great values with exceptional
service, providing you with a lifelong memory.